Chief Chat: RPD to sponsor chili cookoff

Sunday

Feb 3, 2013 at 5:00 PM

This first entry is from the desk of Sgt. Vince Giacolone who is our Law Enforcement Torch Run coordinator for Special Olympics – Missouri. Vince writes: Which locally owned restaurant makes the best chili in Rolla?

Rolla Police Chief Mark Kearse

This first entry is from the desk of Sgt. Vince Giacolone who is our Law Enforcement Torch Run coordinator for Special Olympics – Missouri. Vince writes: Which locally owned restaurant makes the best chili in Rolla? Well, you get to vote on it.

Mark your calendars, Saturday, March 9, Eugene E. Northern Hall, 11 p.m. to 2 p.m. Thirteen locally owned restaurants will submit their chili(es) to be sampled by you, then you vote for your favorite. Chili, hot dogs and soda will be available for purchase with all proceeds going to Special Olympics Missouri.

Musical entertainment will be provided by the popular local group Trilogy. Again, mark your calendars; we’ll keep you posted with updates on this exciting upcoming event. This event is a Law Enforcement Torch Run event to support Special Olympic athletes. The Rolla Police Department has been an avid supporter for Special Olympics for over 30 years, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for local athletes. Please come out and help us help the athletes.

Drug watch: On Monday, January 28 during surveillance operations, Street Crimes Officers watched as two individuals from many miles away came to Rolla to purchase pseudoephedrine. The two started off by going to one pharmacy made a purchase, then drove a couple blocks to another pharmacy, then drove back to the original pharmacy where they purchased more pseudoephedrine.

The two occupants were stopped and questioned a short time later. While conducting a pat down of the driver, officers found a bag stuffed down his pants containing an empty pseudoephedrine box, pharmacy bag, blister packs and no pseudoephedrine. The tablets were later located in the toe of his boots. Both subjects were booked and later released pending formal charges.

Also on Monday, The Street Crimes Unit served a search warrant in the 1900 block of North Elm Street. During the search warrant, officers seized marijuana packaged for sale, paraphernalia, packaging material, and digital scales.

On Thursday, January 26, Central Dispatch transferred a call of a female passenger on the I-44 having a baby. The call was given out and several law enforcement agencies responded along with EMS. Thankfully Phelps County Sheriff’s Deputy John Scott, who is also a paramedic was close to the area and delivered a baby girl in the vehicle on the interstate.

We want to say Great Job John, Thanks for all you do. Also a big thanks to all the other units that responded without hesitation! As far as we know momma and baby are doing great and both were taken to the hospital by ambulance.

We learned on Thursday, that Telecommuncations Supervisor Scott Olds will be retiring from Central Communications on March 1 after 29 years of combined service. Scott joined the Rolla Police Department in March of ’95 with the establishment of Central Communications. Prior to joining Central Communications, Scott served 11 years as a dispatcher/jailer with the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department.

In February of 2000, Scott was promoted to Telecommunications Supervisor where has served since. Scott enjoys St. Louis Blues Hockey, football and spending time with his great-niece Tinsley, but not necessarily in that order. From early on in his career Scott developed a knack for remaining calm and undeterred in his dispatching duties and was always a pleasure to hear on the air.

Everyone from police officers and deputy sheriffs to EMS and Fire personnel looked forward to working when Scotty was on the radio. We wish him the best in his future undertakings and look forward to having him stop by if he gets too bored. Good luck Scott and thanks for all the years from all of us.

In closing, I would like to congratulate the following employees who will be celebrating their hiring date anniversaries during the month of February. They are Senior Records Clerk Kandi Grisham with 10 years of service, Custodian Jim Duncan with seven years of service, Patrol Officer Kevin Ziegler with two years of service and Crossing Guard Rhonda Myers with one year of service. Congratulations and thanks for all you do.